Step Into The Ring - Sauber's 2013

News of Lewis Hamilton moving to Mercedes has come as no big surprise to many people, but Sergio Perez taking his place at McLaren has caused a stir. The man who Luca di Montezemelo recently said 'needed more experience' to join Ferrari, is now going to one of their main rivals and one of the most successful teams in the sport.

But what now for Sauber in 2013? The loss of Perez's unquestionable talent, and the many millions of dollars of sponsorship money he brings from Telmex, will be a blow to a team with lots of potential, but lacking the funds to make a car capable of challenging for anything more than the occasional podium. In terms of the drivers market they have a few options open to them, depending on which direction they want to take:

Michael Schumacher

If you were to believe all the rumblings you've heard during F1 Silly Season, Michael Schumacher going to Sauber has become an increasingly likely option. Nothing needs to be said about his credentials, they're out there for all to see, but his second coming at Mercedes has surely been far from what he had in mind. In both 2010 and 2011 he was beaten in the championship standings by Nico Rosberg, and poor reliability this year has meant he is currently languishing in 12th overall. Flashes of his past brilliance, with his pole in Monaco and podium at Valencia, have been muted by accidents in Barcelona and Singapore. Nevertheless, disregarding breakdowns he is still a regular points finisher, and has all the experience that comes with being a seven-time world champion.

The question is, would Schumi want to make the perceived step backwards to Sauber? Peter Sauber himself has said that's he's welcome to discussion, and he has driven a Sauber before, albeit in a test back in 1997. It would of course be a major coup for the team, and Kamui Kobayashi would do well to learn from such an esteemed team-mate - if he were to stay, that is. Although he's brought in some solid results (his 4th place in Hockenheim being the highlight), Kobayashi has been outdriven by Perez this year and there are many rumours that he may be let go. If that were the case, pairing Schumi with a younger pair of hands would provide a good balance for a team looking to move forward on a limited budget. Though we still don't know if Schumi will retire. Again.

Jaime Alguersuari

Many were shocked to see the young Spaniard dropped by Toro Rosso at the end of last year. Despite becoming another ball of paper to be added to the Red Bull Junior Programme's waste bin, Alguersuari showed some promise in his brief time in Formula 1, finishing in the points 7 times in 2011 at the wheel of an uncompetitive car. His stats in the lower formulae speak for themselves - out of 22 races in the 2008 British F3 season, he won 5, gained 12 podiums and only failed to finish in the points 3 times. Very impressive results, but they don't seem to have brought him much luck...

What will make Jaime an attractive prospect is his knowledge of the Pirelli tyres, through his role as the company's test driver. How the various compounds work under specific conditions has been a nut the teams have found hard to crack, and so any inside knowledge or data, however slight, would prove extremely valuable. However, a year out of the sport may have made Alguersuari a little rusty, and his lack of money now Red Bull have dropped him may prove to be a block in contract negotiations. Though everyone deserves a second chance, and Jaime has his youth and experience on his side to persuade a team to give him another shot.

Esteban Gutierrez

Another Mexican with substantial financial backing from Telmex, Sauber's reserve driver has impressed in GP2 this year, finishing third in the championship with 3 wins and 6 podiums. Although clearly talented, he's often been outshone by his rookie team-mate James Calado and would've finished behind him in the championship standings, had it not been for a string of bad luck on the Briton's part.

Gutierrez's consistency would be a welcome addition to the team, and would complement Kamui Kobayashi's aggressive driving style well, should he be kept on. The money he would bring is much-needed by Sauber, and his solid if unremarkable outings in the 2011 Young Drivers Test will also stand him in good stead. But taking on another rookie with only two years of GP2 under his belt is a big risk, albeit one that has seemed to pay off for Sauber in the recent past.


Davide Valsecchi

The new GP2 champion dominated the first half of this year by taking 6 podiums from the first 12 races, with three of those being back-to-back wins. Despite faltering somewhat at Valencia, Valsecchi went on to take one more win at Monza, 4 podiums and 10 points finishes to claim the title after a season-long battle with Luiz Razia, in turn becoming the only driver to win both the main championship and the now defunct GP2 Asia Series.

 Valsecchi has spent five seasons in GP2, tested for HRT and has also had a first practice outing with Caterham, giving him a wealth of single-seater experience. However, the fact that it's taken him five seasons to win the GP2 title may be of concern to prospective teams, who will be looking for a driver who is quick straight away and doesn't need much time to get acquainted with a new car. An unfair approach perhaps, given that drivers mature and grow at different rates, but an understandable one given the financial rewards at stake for the F1 teams. Nevertheless Davide has proven he is quick, and unless he decides to spend yet another season in GP2 or move to another racing series, he can't be ruled out.

Of course, this isn't an exhaustive list by any means. GP2 veteran Luca Filippi highly impressed by winning the feature race at Monza this season, in what was his first race for nearly a year, though a lack of funding means that his chances of reaching Formula 1 seem very slim. Other names such as Jules Bianchi and Luiz Razia have also been mentioned, but may need to be given more time to assess their talent. Only time, and most probably money, will tell who will get the chance.

On The Road: 2012 British Grand Prix

I did mean to write this up as soon as I got back, but various things have got in the way - not to mention having to put myself on the radiator for a few days to dry out... but better late than never, and the few months break has given me time to really think through how the weekend went. It's going to be written in the standard Fan Formula layout for the On The Road posts, so here you are - my review of the 2012 British Grand Prix!

Why Silverstone?

Originally I'd planned to go to the Spanish Grand Prix, but when plans for that fell through, using the money saved to buy an expensive ticket for Silverstone seemed like the best alternative. With the way this season has been so unpredictable, everyone thought we were going to see the true pace of the teams, as the weather forecasts at the time were predicting sun all weekend (how wrong they were...!).

And it's a cliché, but Silverstone feels like home. There's a really positive vibe, which can't even be dampened by the weather, and everyone is extremely friendly and respectful of each other regardless of what team or driver they support. Where else are you going to find Mexican waves transcending three grandstands to fill up a delay, or a massive mud-sliding competition after the race? The racing almost seems like an add-on compared to the fun you'll have!

Did you meet anyone in particular?

Unless you're very lucky to win a pit lane/paddock pass at the competitions they put on at the Luffield Stage, or get close to the pit wall after invading the track at the end of the race, it's nigh on impossible to meet any of the drivers or other famous faces. Security is extremely tight and you'll be caught very quickly if you try to sneak in anywhere. A pit walk on the Thursday, like most other races have, would be a welcome addition (though you can get in, if you're lucky - more on that later). However, the Grand Prix After-Party, held at the Luffield Stage, goes a long way to make up for this. If you're prepared to leave your place before the end of the race (there's a big screen there, so you won't miss anything), get a spot near the front and take the full brunt of any bad weather, then you're rewarded with live music and interviews with a lot of the drivers:

 

What about the cost?

It'll be as expensive as you want to make it. You can do Silverstone on a budget, if you go General Admission and bring your own food. But prices for grandstand tickets, and on-track catering in particular, are high. Prices for a bacon roll or burger were averaging £5, £8 for fish and chips, £2 for a tea/coffee and £3 for a pint of lager, although you have Chinese, Thai, Italian and Spanish cuisine to add variety and it's all good quality. I bought a 3-day ticket with a reserved, front-row seat for Sunday in the temporary Luffield Complex grandstand, for £285. Which is expensive, but proved to be a good choice, despite its lack of cover. We got to see Pastor Maldonado bump Sergio Perez off the track, and it was also the place where Mark Webber passed Fernando Alonso for the win! It's a shame they're not going to build it for 2013, as it gave great views and plenty of opportunity to take photographs due to the corners here being slow.

Camping was £60 for 5 nights at Silverstone's official campsite, Woodlands, which is great value for money. Food and drink are track prices but very tasty, and you have plenty to keep you occupied, with an on-site pub and various bands and DJs playing throughout the weekend. The Wimbledon tennis final was also shown on a big screen in The Big Top, which proved very popular. Although the campsite is divided into zones, it doesn't really matter which you choose unless you have a campervan or motorhome, where you're automatically assigned.  The campsite operates a tractor shuttle from various bus stops, so you can pitch up in the furthest Quiet Zone and be taken to the track entrance in about 10 minutes. Having said this, the Lively zones weren't overly rowdy and there were plenty of children staying in them - but if live music until 1am and shouts of 'IAN!' in the middle of the night aren't your cup of tea, you may want to try somewhere a bit quieter.

What advice would you give to others?

1) Pack for dry and wet weather, dress in layers and bring a good pair of walking shoes - Silverstone is a huge place and distances between grandstands are large, so you'll be doing a lot of walking. There's also a very cold wind due to the lack of trees, so dress in layers or the cold will get to you, especially if a session is delayed like this year. And as it's Britain, the weather changes constantly - one minute you'll be perishing in the mud and pouring rain, the next you'll be getting sunburn, and often you'll get soaked and sunburnt at the same time!

2) Don't be shy - wear your team/driver colours and be proud of it, you won't be bashed for who you support! You may be teased if whoever you support isn't doing well (especially if you're a Ferrari or Red Bull fan), but it's all in good humour and never nasty. Take advantage of the friendliness of the Silverstone fans and get chatting to those around you, you'll make friends in no time.

3) Plan what you want to see and do - there's so much going on during the weekend that it can get a bit overwhelming. A few days or weeks before you go, sit down and decide what you want to get out of your visit. If you want to take lots of photos, head to slower corners like Vale and Luffield, where you'll have more chance of getting a clear shot of the cars. If you just want to see as much of the track as you can, the Woodcote grandstands let you see the cars for nearly half the lap, from the Wellington Straight into Copse. And if you want to really appreciate how fast the cars can go, watch from Abbey and Maggots/Becketts complex; the speed at which the cars can change direction going through these corners is mind-boggling.

4) Stick around after the race - not everyone can do this, but if you're going for the weekend, stay on Sunday night. The vast majority of the campsites don't close until midday Monday, and the traffic straight after the race is horrendous. There's still plenty to do, the after-party being one thing, but you can also pick up teamwear and mementos from the F1 Village on the old Bridge corner, and even walk the track. I'd definitely recommend walking the track, because you could get more than you bargained for - while on the start-finish straight this year, the pit gates were opened to let the teams' forklifts in, and they allowed the fans in for a while! It was brilliant to get so close to the garages and see how all the packing up worked, and the mechanics are more than happy to have a chat if you don't disturb their work. 

You can see more driver interviews from the after-party in my Youtube playlist, and lots more photos in my imgur album. If you have any more questions about the race, you can get in touch via my Twitter account above or in the comments. Hope you enjoyed it!

Special Silverstone

It is indeed special. My second time at Silverstone in as many years promised to be a brilliant weekend, and it turned out just like that. The massive post on that will be on its way soon!

© F1Fanatic

Q1) Which part of the Silverstone circuit is your favourite bit to watch the drivers and cars conquer throughout each lap?

A: There's two main parts of Silverstone that do it for me. For taking photos and generally seeing the cars for as long as possible if you're there, I love the exit of Luffield into Woodcote. You feel like you're seeing the cars for an age - from Woodcote B in particular, you can see them coming out of Brooklands, into and out of Luffield, into Woodcote, speeding down the National Pit Straight, and even braking into Copse if the weather's clear. This combination of slow and high speed corners also lets you see just how quick these machines can accelerate and slow down. Naturally they're expensive seats, but very much worth it.

The other part of Silverstone I really like is Abbey corner, going into Farm Curve. The speed at which the cars change direction going through there is phenomenal. It's not quite as good as Maggots/Becketts/Chapel, but it still gives you a great sense of how sophisticated these machines are. Though I am a bit biased, as I saw my first 'big' moment here last year - during qualifying, Timo Glock got the entry into Abbey a bit wrong, went wide and threw up loads of dust coming back onto the track - heart in mouth stuff, as we thought he'd crashed, and the echo of 'oooooh!'s coming from the crowd didn't help!


Q2) In its history Silverstone has thrown up some incredible races, but which one was your favourite and why?

A: I'm not in a great position to answer this question, as I haven't watched many classic Grands Prix from Silverstone. But from the few that I have seen, I'd go for the 1987 race. We all know how intense the rivalry between Mansell and Piquet was, so for Mansell to get one over him at his home Grand Prix, and in some style, was brilliant to watch. And the crowd pouring onto the track afterwards was great, you wouldn't see anything like that nowadays.

Q3) Last year saw Fernando Alonso take his first and only win in the 2011 season. Do you think for the drivers who are yet to win this season, that this race could be their opportunity to take the top step of the podium?

A: Leaving this question as it's already been answered by the results :P


BONUS [as suggested by @EyeofAlexg1977]) Now that Bernie Ecclestone has stepped in regarding the possibility of London holding a Grand Prix, and has even pledged to put his hand in his pocket to help fund the promotion, how do you feel that this could possibly affect Silverstone's place on the calendar?

A: I can't see it affecting Silverstone's position, as I can't see a London Grand Prix happening any time soon. Even if Bernie has publicly said he'll put his own money towards it, history has shown what Bernie says and what Bernie does turns out to be a very different matter. I wouldn't mind being proven wrong though - I have nothing against a Grand Prix in London, indeed, I'd love to see one there if the vast majority were happy for it to take place - but I don't think enough people would back it, the logistical work of hosting it would be a very difficult task to handle, and there isn't any obvious venue that stands out to be suitable for the event. Having said this, we've had the recent bid for the Olympic Park to host it come under official consideration in the last few days. Personally, I'd prefer the Olympic Stadium to be left as an athletics venue as part of the legacy of the Games, but you can't rule out the bid being accepted. Either way, with the sheer amount of money that has been, and continues to be, invested into Silverstone, and with its contract to host the British Grand Prix running into the 2020s, a London Grand Prix doesn't seem much of a threat at all...

The future venue of a Grand Prix? © Jason Hawkes

Extraordinary Europe

Hello everyone. Again, apologies for massively falling behind on these blog posts. I decided to take a break from writing for a little while. Not only have I been really busy with things at home, as well as going to British Grand Prix (more on that in a separate, very long and multimedia-filled post, that I'll link to here <), I haven't really had the feeling to write lately. It's horrible and I know it leaves you all in limbo, but given the choice of waiting until I felt I could write something of some value again, or continuing to write and pumping out any old dross that doesn't read well, I went for the former. After all, these are my thoughts and I want to articulate them properly, so those of you who do read them know what I really think and feel about this crazy sport that we all love. Thankfully, the break has done me the world of good and I'm feeling very energetic about the whole project again now, so normal service should hopefully have been resumed. Thank you very much to all those of you who continue to read this blog by the way, it always surprises me how interested people are in my views. We've got a good little community here at Fan Formula :)

So now, there's going to be about 5 posts in the space of a day or two, in order to catch up on what I've missed. Starting with the first recorded instance of an exciting race at Valencia!

F1 So Far

Q1) Throughout the season several drivers have added slight adaptations or had radical design changes to their helmets. Do you think that drivers should stick to one distinctive design, and then just adapt their design slightly for special occasions to keep a consistency, or do you like seeing the constant changes?

A: Couldn't help but giggle at this question when I first read it! The regular Fan Formula crew will know why, especially @AilishCatherine, @squiffany and @PAGIE03. #F1Smut. I'll say no more ;)

But being childish aside, I really don't mind what the drivers do with their helmets. Yes it's a pain trying to figure out who's driving what car when they change their designs constantly, some being worse than others (yes Mr Pointy Finger, I'm looking at you). But a racing driver's helmet is their identity, and a person's identity is ever-evolving, so I've no problem with them doing as they please with them.

This may be a slightly biased view, seeing as I'm entering a certain helmet design competition...


Q2) Which driver has disappointed you through their performance the most this season and why?

A: Jean-Eric Vergne. When you look at his performances compared to Daniel Ricciardo, he really hasn't done that badly (JEV's average finishing position has been 12th, compared to Ricciardo's 11th), but he hasn't been as good as I was expecting him to be. All the pre-season hype, as well as the high expectations of the Red Bull young driver programme, were promising great things from him that haven't materialised yet. It's a shame really, as despite him not looking very good at the moment I think the car is holding both of the Toro Rosso drivers back.

Q3) [as suggested by @F1_Fans_Updates]) We've had seven races and seven different winners, but what was your favourite race win and why?

A: I have two. Sorry for being awkward!

They're both for drivers that got their first wins. Nico Rosberg's victory in China is one of my choices as it was brilliant to see everyone willing him on to win. The outpouring of affection and congratulations for him on Twitter was lovely and I'll remember it for some time.

The other is Pastor Maldonado's win in Spain. Not because I'm a fan of Maldonado, but because it was wonderful to see Williams finally get a win after the torrid time they've endured of late, and it was their first win in eight years! It was long overdue and the best reward for the Williams crew, who will have worked very hard over the winter to deliver what's turned out to be a decent car up to now. It was quite emotional!


BONUS) This weekend saw a break for Formula One but a variety of other motorsport races taking place. Did you watch any of them and if so, which ones and why? If not, why not?

A: I didn't watch the MotoGP race at Silverstone as I'm not really into bikes. Although, kudos has to be given to Cal Crutchlow for racing with a broken AND dislocated ankle, and finishing the race in 6th after starting last. What a man!

My main focus for the weekend was the Le Mans 24 Hours. I wanted to make an effort to watch it despite not knowing the faintest thing about endurance racing, and I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed it, despite being a wooss and going to sleep at 1am. So much so, that a couple of the Fan Formula crew want to go next year! It's only a pipe-dream at the moment, but I've met many great people through Twitter and I'm sure a Fan Formula holiday would provide more of the same, so it'd be a weekend I'd definitely be up for. Just need to get saving the pennies now...

Crazy Canada

Firstly, apologies for this being nearly a week late. Things happening at home meant that I couldn't get this entry ready in time to publish it in conjunction with the video going online. I've published it as a double-bill with this week's answers though, so enjoy!


One of my favourite races of the year certainly lived up to expectations. Realistically it wasn't going to top last year, and it did lull a little in the middle of the race (maybe we should start calling this phase of the race "no-man's land"?), but the end more than made up for it. And I must admit, I did get emotional when I saw Lewis driving back to parc ferme with the Union flag in his hand...

© LAT Photographic

Q1) With Grosjean and Perez both claiming spots on the podium this weekend, do you believe that they are the best of the new crop of young drivers?

A: Up to now, definitely. Grosjean especially has really impressed me - I thought Kimi would be whipping him this year, but he's proven that when he can stay out of trouble he's got brilliant pace. Perez, meanwhile, seems to be the only driver on the grid that can make the Pirelli tyres work to his liking to some extent, letting him gamble with the conservative strategies that he's become famous for. If Grosjean can become more consistent with his results and Perez can improve his qualifying performances, people are going to take even more notice of them.

Having said this, there's new drivers further down the grid that haven't got the cars to be able to show their true potential. Jean-Eric Vergne, Daniel Ricciardo and Charles Pic in particular could be very talented for all we know, but the Marussia and Toro Rosso won't let them showcase their true potential.


Q2 [as suggested by @domcovkid]) Why, if Lewis Hamilton is repeatedly consistent with the McLaren, has Jenson Button been so poor in recent races when they both have the same car?

A: I think Jenson needs a much more stable car to suit his smoother driving style, unlike Lewis, who can really drag the car around the track as he's so aggressive. His performances have gone downhill quite dramatically since McLaren have used the modified, slightly curved nose... maybe that has something to do with it?


Q3) SKY viewers - what did you make of Jacques Villeneuve working for SKY this weekend?

A: Quite interesting actually! One thing you're guaranteed with Jacques Villeneuve is that you're going to get a straight answer - you may not like it, you may disagree with it and you may not like the man for it, but you have to have some respect for him for not being afraid to say what he truly thinks. For that one race I think he added a bit of something different, but I don't think I'd like him as a permanent pundit, à la Johnny Herbert. It's his new Dr Eggman look he's rocking. It scares me a little. All he needs is a pair of fancy goggles, a massive moustache and he'd be sorted:

BONUS) Who would you have liked to see join Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber in the river after the Grand Prix?

A: My favourite moment of the weekend, hehe! Judging by his many and lovely photo shoots, maybe Bruno Senna? Though that may have been a bit too much - just Seb and Mark in there was enough to get me, @Thrinne1 and @Sammybingo giggling like little girls!

Monaco Mania

To be totally honest, I only partially agree with this week's title as I found the race a bit boring. It got to the point that I was even yawning at some points... but there was plenty of mania before the race and Webber won after *finally* getting a good start off the line, meaning Red Bull have now got a hat-trick in Monaco. So I really can't complain all that much!

© Daily Mirror Sport

Q1) In FP3 we saw Pastor Maldonado bump tyres with Sergio Perez, and in response was awarded a 10-place grid penalty. What was your view on the incident and the resulting penalty?

A: Maldonado has garnered quite a reputation for being hot-headed, and the incident with him and Perez hasn't done anything to try and rebuff that. He said afterwards that he 'lost the car' due to being on cold tyres, but from what I've seen from replays of the incident, there's nothing to suggest that he had oversteer or any other problem that could have caused him to swipe across Perez in the way that he did. With the confines of the track being so tight in Monaco it's incredibly difficult for cars that have been blue-flagged to move over, and to be fair to Perez he did his best to move over as much as he could, slowing down significantly. Maldonado could see this and had enough space to go around the outside of him going into Portier, so I don't understand why he chose to stay on the line he took. 

Looking at it like this, I think it was right for the stewards to give Maldonado the 10-place grid penalty. Although this incident was fairly minor compared to the one with Lewis Hamilton in Belgium last year, it was still a dangerous piece of driving that would have been completely avoidable had he kept his head and just backed off a little. With him being on cold tyres and on his first lap it wouldn't have been that detrimental for him to do this, as he could have created a gap and pushed again on the next lap. Also, with it being the second time of him doing something like this, the punishment needed to be harsher to act as a deterrent to Maldonado and the rest of the drivers. If he were to do something similar again in the future, I'd expect him to be starting from last or DSQ'd from the race as a third strike.

Q2) Qualifying saw Sebastian Vettel not set a lap time, and through this benefiting from the choice of tyres in the race. Do you think that this rule should be changed, with penalties enforced if a driver/team do not set a time in Q3?

A: You can't give the teams/drivers penalties when all they're doing is maximising their chances of getting a good result - Formula 1 would be a very funny sort of sport otherwise. The rule saying that the top 10 have to start on the tyres they set their Q3 times on will mean that teams will gamble with not setting a time, in order to start on fresh rubber. And when it works, like it did for Sebastian, then it will make it even more of an incentive, so I think we'll see it a lot more as the season progresses. The above rule hasn't really done anything to alter the running in the early stages of races, which it was designed to do, instead ruining Q3 and making it anti-climatic, even dull in some cases, for those of us watching. In an ideal world the rule would be scrapped and teams would be given a slightly larger allocation of tyres to accommodate for it, or even be given special qualifying-only tyres. But with Formula 1 trying to cut down on its environmental impact this won't be happening, so I'm afraid drivers sitting out Q3 will be a regular occurance. Which is sad, as we're not getting to see the cars' true capabilities when on the edge.

Q3) A slow pitstop, being hit on the head by numbers falling off pit boards, and a lack of communication regarding Vettel's pace left Lewis Hamilton frustrated with the race. Do you think this will affect his upcoming contract renewal, and what do you think his options would be aside from McLaren?

A: Lewis, bless him, doesn't seem to having much luck this season! And it isn't his fault, as he seems to have got himself together psychologically after his worst ever season last year. You can't blame him for being frustrated with everything that's happened at McLaren in these first six races. The car is capable of winning,  as Jenson Button proved in Australia, but it's been mistakes from the team like poor pitstops and the fueling problem in Spain that have caused them to now be lagging behind. If McLaren don't get their act together soon, I think Lewis will start to consider looking for a ride elsewhere. Where at is another matter...

On the face of it, his options are broad - at the time of writing Ferrari, Lotus, Mercedes and Red Bull all only have one driver contracted for next season, with Williams, Sauber, Force India and Toro Rosso having no-one confirmed for 2013. But assuming he wouldn't want to move to a midfield team and taking other factors into account, Lewis' opportunities are soon narrowed:

Ferrari - appears to be a no-no as the history between Lewis and Fernando Alonso isn't great, with the two having had some controversial incidents while together at McLaren in 2007. Add to that an uncompetitive car, and Sergio Perez being widely accepted to be taking the seat if Felipe Massa doesn't improve sufficiently, the door at Maranello seems firmly closed for the moment.

Lotus - personally I couldn't see Lewis going to Lotus and I think it would be a risky move, as historically Lotus have been poor at developing a car throughout the season (a key strength of McLaren's). Despite this they've built a strong car this year, regularly fighting for podiums, so wins aren't out of the question. But Kimi Raikkonen is doing well despite his few years out of the sport and seems motivated and happy, while the close relationship between Romain Grosjean and Eric Boullier means that I think he'll be given another season to assess his performance.

Mercedes - Mercedes and McLaren have a close relationship through their engine deal and the team are now proven race-winners after their victory in China. If everything can come together, as this season has shown, then Mercedes have the potential to be regularly competing for wins and this will be a big incentive for Lewis. Michael Schumacher has struggled on his return to the sport and question marks have already been raised about his future, while Lewis and Nico Rosberg have a very good relationship, having competed against each other through the lower formulae. If Mercedes continue to show good pace and Red Bull keep Mark Webber on, a move here can't be ruled out.

Red Bull - probably the place where Lewis would have his eye on first. Although not as competitive this season, they've proven that they still have what it takes to win, and constructors' and drivers' championships for the last two seasons will make Red Bull a very attractive move. I think Lewis would relish the challenge of having Sebastian Vettel as a team-mate and they would push each other hard, so it would be very interesting to see how they performed together. This is all dependent on Mark Webber leaving - at 35, he's nearing the end of his career and rumours of his retirement, along with a move to Ferrari, crop up around this time of year. He's also made it no secret about his unhappiness with certain events in the past, with his 'not bad for a number two driver' comments in 2010. But he's proven that he still has the talent and experience to win races and seems happy in the team for the moment. Depending on what Mark decides to do, I could really see Lewis making the switch here.

BONUS [as suggested by @joshbohnf1]) Do you think we should still be racing at Monaco when overtaking is clearly important in modern Formula 1?

A: There's lots of arguments for and against Monaco still being on the calendar. Of course the narrow and twisty nature of the circuit makes overtaking extremely difficult, resulting in often boring races as well as maybe making the race more dangerous than the rest. But that's what makes Monaco unique - it provides a unique test for the drivers, and the history and prestige (as well as the glamour) that surrounds it makes it a thrill for both drivers and fans. Having said that, Spa-Francorchamps has a lot of these qualities, but its future in Formula 1 has been under threat for a couple of years now. It's interesting to hear everyone's viewpoints on the subject but the fact is that Monaco will be staying with us for the forseeable future.

© Mark Thompson/Getty Images

The Twitter-Powered Formula 1 Drinking Game

Cheers! via pinnacle racing @ Autosport forums

Everyone likes a good drinking game, and there's plenty of material in Formula 1 to make up some creative challenges. So with the help of Twitter, we have this extensive set of rules for you to enjoy your race-viewing that little bit more*. Many thanks to @F1Ellen, @RobTsintas, @Sibutch, @wtf1couk, @graemefowler, @jimbobbydazzler and many others for their contributions. Feel free to comment with your own suggestions below, or on Twitter, with the hashtag #F1DrinkingGame. Enjoy!

*Standard disclaimer: this is just for fun. Of course we encourage everyone of legal age to drink sensibly and responsibly

One shot

1) Any mention of 'for sure' from drivers, team personnel, TV presenters etc.

2) Sebastian Vettel says 'obviously' during an interview, or gives 'The Finger' if he wins a pole or race

3) Jenson Button complains about having no grip. Same for Michael Schumacher criticising the Pirelli tyres

4) Lee McKenzie says 'you must be bitterly disappointed' when interviewing a driver

5) David Coulthard says 'well, indeed'. Last one to shout 'och aye tha noo motherf***er!' takes a shot of Scotch whiskey

6) Ted Kravitz says that he's 'down at the McLaren/Red Bull garage'

7) Williams reserve driver Valtteri #BOTTAS is mentioned or shown on-screen

8) Each position Fernando Alonso finishes ahead of Felipe Massa (caution advised here, could get very messy!)


Two shots

1) David Croft and/or Martin Brundle use a strange similie to describe a driver's performance (e.g. 'hugging the apex like it's your favourite granny')

2) Kimi Raikkonen answers a detailed, in-depth question with 'it was OK', 'not really', or words to this effect

3) Simon Lazenby mentions how you can watch Formula 1 'in glorious 5.1 Dolby surround sound'

4) Christian Horner performs his famous 'Horner Jig' foot-tapping on the pitwall

5) Tequila if Sergio Perez goes for a conservative strategy, by staying out on prime tyres or one-stopping

6) Any joke about Eddie Jordan's shirts, or David Coulthard's chin or white jeans

7) Kamui Kobayashi successfully pulls off a crazy overtaking move. Must be done while shouting 'BANZAI!'

8) Eddie Jordan questions Michael Schumacher's decision to come out of retirement


Down your drink!

1) Heikki Kovalainen makes it into Q2

2) The BBC and Sky F1 teams are visible together in one TV shot

3) Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa crash into each other

4) A bottle of San Miguel if a HRT qualifies within 107%, or the stewards allow them to race. Extra shot if both make it

5) Lewis Hamilton gets any sort of penalty. Last one to shout 'it's an absolute friggin' joke!' takes an extra shot

6) Martin Brundle and Tanja Bauer 'bump into each other' on the grid

7) Mark Webber or Vitaly Petrov become airborne as the result of an off or crash


Race-specific Rules

Australia - if it's the first race, down a Fosters if a commentator says the first race is like the first day back at school


Malaysia - one shot each time FOM cuts to a picture of a weather radar. Down your drink if a red flag comes out for rain


Monaco - a sip of champagne, or other expensive drink:

1) Each time a celebrity tries to sound knowledgeable about Formula 1, and fails miserably, during the grid walk

2) If any of Monaco's prestige, glamour, history, difficulty to overtake, or how every driver wants to win it are alluded to


Spain - one shot each time a commentator mentions how the Circuit de Catalunya isn't good for overtaking


Canada - down your drink if:

1) A driver crashes into the Wall of Champions any time during the weekend

2) Groundhogs are spotted! Extra shot if they cause a yellow flag or the safety car to be brought out

3) The track surface starts to break up, bringing out the marshals. Should a marshal fall over, the last person to laugh at them takes an extra shot


Europe (Valencia) - one shot each time there's an overtake, it'll help ease the boredom


Belgium - one shot each time a driver's thrown into the gravel because of rain, and when a driver locks up going into the Bus Stop chicane


Japan - one shot each time FOM cuts to Japanese fans in crazy Formula 1-themed outfits

25%

Can't believe we're already a quarter of the way through the season. It's going much too quickly! 6 weeks today and I'll be setting off to Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, which if last year was anything to go by, will be an amazing long weekend. I'm planning on buying a sm*rtphone for the weekend so I can still blog while I'm there, and post pictures and videos etc. to give a sort-of-real-time idea of what it's like to attend a Grand Prix - will be interesting to see how that works out. Tickets have started shipping out today, so I'm writing this sitting at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for the postman to arrive...

Monaco - the capital of glamour © Rainer Brunotte

Q1) The tight and twisty nature of the Monaco circuit is known for difficult overtaking. Do you think we will see drivers take more risks like Hamilton did in 2011, or will it be more about strategy and pitstops?

A: I think we'll see both, but it'll be more skewed towards strategy and pitstops. With Monaco being the prestigious race that it is, drivers will be more willing to take risks to try and move up the order and with overtaking being so difficult, gaining even one position during the race would be an achievement. However, with the way the Pirelli tyres have been this year I think teams may want to be a little more conservative. This of course all depends on whether there's going to be a safety car and the weather, which going by current reports isn't looking too good for practice and qualifying at the moment.

Q2) What is it about Monaco that makes it so special, or do you not feel the excitement for Monaco?
A: One answer always seems to crop up - 'it's Monaco!'. No other race on the calendar has so much behind it to create its unique buzz; the history, the prestige, the glitz and glamour, the skill that goes into the preparation of the drivers and teams for the event, the celebrities trying to sound knowledgeable when they're being interviewed for Martin Brundle's gridwalk (and failing miserably - yes, I'm looking at you Nicole Scherzinger and Geri Halliwell):

Q3 [as suggested by @AilishCatherine]) What is your favourite corner on the Monaco Grand Prix circuit and why?

A: There's a couple that stand out from the rest, like Casino Square, as it looks like a real challenge for the drivers coming into it from the top of the hill. The Lowes hairpin is always cool for seeing the cars so close together and snaking slowly and carefully through the streets. And The Tunnel needs no introduction. But I like all of them - the whole track flows brilliantly despite overtaking being impossible, so I guess they're all my favourite.

BONUS) Which Monaco race that you have watched is your ultimate Monaco Grand Prix and why?

A: I'm having to work from word of mouth here as I don't remember watching it myself, but from what I've seen of it now that I'm older, the 1996 race was immense. A real survival of the fittest battle in very tricky conditions, showing just how tough Monaco is on the drivers and their machinery - and Olivier Panis won in a Ligier, with the three drivers on the podium being the only ones to actually finish the race. What's not to like?

*Rainer Brunotte has taken some stunning photographs of Monaco's cityscape, harbour and parts of the Grand Prix circuit as part of the build-up for this year's race, you can see more of his work here

Spanish Spectacular

Considering this was Barcelona, which is usually a right bore-fest, I'd say this year's race was pretty epic! This was helped no doubt by watching it at the pub and making some new F1 friends (see F1 in Pubs for more details on where you can watch in the UK). 5 different winners, from 5 different constructors, in 5 races just shows how crazy the 2012 season has been up to now. Also, big happy birthday to Fan Formula's founder @GraceF1Fanatic, hope you have a lovely day!


Q1) Qualifying saw Hamilton's penalty and Karthikeyan qualifying outside the 107% rule. What do you make of both incidents and the resulting stewards decisions?

A: It's not the first time McLaren have under-fueled one of their cars in qualifying, deliberately or otherwise. The rule saying the cars have to get back to parc ferme under their own power was tightened because of McLaren's exploits at Canada in 2010, where Lewis had to push his car back to the pits. Even though I think this time the team made an honest mistake, the FIA had to be seen to be taking action as it does create an unfair advantage. However, I thought exclusion from qualifying and being put to the back of the grid was a little harsh. If it was me, I'd have excluded him for Q3 and calculated his grid position from his Q2 time, which would have put him 11th, and maybe have stripped McLaren of constructors points for that race as it was the team's fault that he didn't have enough fuel.

As for Karthikeyan being allowed to race, it makes a complete mockery of the 107% rule. What's the point of having it if it isn't going to be enforced? It's decisions like this that are making the FIA so inconsistent and enduring the wrath of fans. In my opinion, the rule should be modified - unless you have a mechanical problem during qualifying that prevents you from setting a time, then anyone who qualifies outside 107% should not be allowed to race at all. If someone does have a breakdown, only then should the FIA look at their times in practice to assess if they have the pace to keep up.


Q2 [as suggested by @squiffany]) In the Senna vs Schumacher crash, who do you think was at fault?

A: Both drivers had part to blame, but Schumacher was more at fault. I imagine that he would have been told about Senna struggling for grip over his radio, and so a driver of his experience should have been much more aware of his closing speed. Having said that, Senna did move ever-so-slightly left just before going into Turn 1 - I don't know whether that was because of a lack of grip under braking or him trying to fend off Schumacher, but it did play a part in the accident, so in hindsight Senna maybe should have made it a little easier for him to pass if his tyres were that badly worn. A 5-place grid drop for Schumacher in Monaco was deserved though, as it was a silly accident that didn't really need to happen.

Ooops... © Mirror Sport

Q3) Maldonado took his first victory in Spain (the first win for Williams since 2004). Do you think this signals the return of Williams to the top of the grid, or is this just another topsy turvey result for the 2012 season?

A: It's hard to say, as the way the 2012 season is going it's impossible to even make a calculated guess as to what's going to happen! But Williams have clearly made a much better car than those of the last couple of seasons and now that they've won one race, I don't see why they can't win another. It'll take a lot of luck and skill to get the Pirelli tyres to work in their favour, but that's the case for all the teams this year.

Going slightly off-topic, I'm sure everyone was shocked to see the fire that engulfed the Williams garage about an hour after the podium ceremony. It made what was a brilliant and emotional result for the team so bittersweet, though it was very heartening to see such bravery and teamwork from everyone up and down the pitlane to try and help put the fire out. It's events like this that show that Formula 1 is fundamentally a team sport and that at the end of the day, we're all one big family.


BONUS) Who would you say drove the best race at Catalunya and why?

A: Now this is a hard one because no-one really had a race that stood out as being amazing, most of them making the best of a good or bad situation. In the end I've chosen three drivers - Maldonado, Vettel and Hamilton. Pastor stood up to immense pressure from Alonso all race long to produce a very mature drive to silence his critics (including myself), while Sebastian and Lewis pulled off some brilliant overtakes to shoot through the field, albeit they shouldn't have been that far back in the first place (with Lewis' penalty, and Sebastian's drive through and strange front wing problem).  But it all made for an exciting race - maybe we'll see a different driver and constructor take the win in Monaco!

© Vladimir Rys/Getty Images Europe

Gilles Villeneuve: A Reflection

There hasn't been many people, in life and in death, that have captivated the world of motorsport in such a way that they become the stuff of legend. But Gilles Villeneuve can undoubtedly be included in that category.

The son of a piano tuner, Villeneuve seemed set for a career in music, had it not been for his fascination with speed and engineering from a young age. Aged eleven, he was let loose with a pick-up truck in a field close to the family's Quebec home, with the young Gilles later taking their lawnmower engine and pieces of plywood to make a go-kart. As a teenager he 'borrowed' his father's Pontiac Grande Parisienne to test its top speed, only to skid on a wet road and crash into a telephone pole. This first taste of speed's dangers did little to deter him, however, and he was soon honing his craft in the world of snowmobile racing. It was these years of sliding on ice at over 100 mph, that he would later claim helped craft his incredible capability to control cars in wet conditions.

The transition to single-seater racing was not so smooth. Living on the breadline with his young family in a pre-fab home, Villeneuve was resorting to stealing tools from local shops to save money. Only by selling the house and converting a disused school bus into a motorhome/workshop did he raise the money to compete in Formula Ford and Formula Atlantic, which he did with gradual success. It was in the latter that he beat F1 world champion James Hunt, in a non-championship event at Trois-Rivieres in 1976, and impressed Hunt so much that he persuaded McLaren to give Gilles a Formula 1 drive at Silverstone the following year. Qualifying 9th and finishing 11th in a year-old car, he would have finished much higher up the order had it not been for a faulty temperature gauge costing him precious time. Regardless, McLaren decided not to keep him on due to his lack of experience, and was instead recruited by Ferrari. In a sport where courage, determination and downright stubbornness are standard, Gilles took these qualities to a whole new level - producing some of the best racing, and some of the most outrageous actions, Formula 1 has ever seen:

His ferocious speed and questionable sanity can be epitomised with his performance at the 1979 United States Grand Prix, at Watkins Glen. On a soaking wet track in practice, Villeneuve was setting times that were up to 11 seconds faster than his rivals, including his teammate, and that year's world champion, Jody Scheckter. While others were nursing their cars so as not to crash, Gilles was pulling everything out of the car in order to try to better it and himself. These examples of commitment weren't only confined to the racetrack, however - Villeneuve seemingly didn't understand the meaning of the word 'slow'. On public roads he would drive flat-out, incurring hundreds of speeding tickets (many of which were forgotten about with a quick signed photo, especially in Italy) and he would manhandle his speedboat and helicopter at unthinkable speeds.

But behind this recklessness he was quiet and softly-spoken, a man of strong principles that always conducted himself with the utmost honesty and expected others to do the same. Indeed, it was his teammate Didier Pironi's breaking of a team orders agreement between them, at the 1982 San Marino Grand Prix, that many say cost Gilles his life. Incensed at Pironi's lack of sanctity for a promise, he headed to the next race at Zolder with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove. On 8th May 1982, while trying to improve his time in qualifying to beat Pironi, a misunderstanding with Jochen Mass over where to move over resulted in him driving into the back of Mass' March at over 120mph. The Ferrari was thrown into the air, flipped and nose-dived into the track. The force of the impact was so great that Villeneuve, still strapped to his seat but now without his helmet, was catapulted into catch-fencing over 50 metres away. He died from critical head and neck injuries later that night.

Gilles Villeneuve has become quite special to me as a fan, as he's the main reason why I've become so interested in motorsport and Formula 1 in particular. I was given a brilliant biography of his life as a gift about 4 years ago, which describes all of the above in vivid detail (and which the info for most of this post has come from). Being born nearly 10 years after his death it gave a wonderful insight into how the sport and its stars worked back then, and was the impetus for me to learn more about its history. However, Gilles' story really struck a chord with me. His dogged determination, although often bordering on the reckless and selfish, and his passion for the sport that he loved was proof that if you could set your mind to what you want to achieve, then there's no reason why you can't. Which makes it all the more tragic that he never got to fulfill his wish and that of his many fans - to win the world championship he rightly deserved.

The Return Of In-Season Testing

A pretty quiet week in Formula 1, but there's been tonnes of other motorsport on today (Sunday) - British Touring Car Championship, World Touring Car Championship, DTM, Formula Two, MotoGP and IndyCar. Too much sport!


Q1) In-season testing returns this year after being banned in 2009. Are you glad to see an official in-season test return to F1?

A: Yes and no. Yes because the fans have even more time to see the cars on track and teams have more opportunity to develop updates, but it doesn't send out a very good message about a sport which has publicly committed to cut costs. The reaction to the return of in-season testing has also been mixed - Fernando Alonso has stated that the Mugello test will be important for Ferrari to try and gain some ground on the front-runners, while others, such as McLaren's Paddy Lowe, have admitted that they don't need an in-season test and that holding one is just another burden on the team's budget and logistics. He even went as far to suggest that he didn't think there would be another in-season test after this year. Doesn't bode well...

Day One washout at Mugello © FIA

Q2 [as suggested by @cwhite90999]) Do you think it is a mistake for HRT to not attend the test?

A: A month or so ago I said that the 'new' teams, HRT and Marussia in particular, can't even begin to dream of catching up to the others if they can't attend testing and I still stand by that. However for a team like HRT, who have so little money compared to the likes of outfits such as cash-strapped Williams, attending a test in which they're not going to gain much in terms of performance or data-gathering would be a big strain on their already limited resources. So in that sense it seems like a sensible decision to miss out on the test, and one where they could divert the money saved into development for next year's car.


Q3) Do you think that having the test after only 4 races makes the test slightly less effective than it could be if it were later along in the calendar?

A: If anything I think it makes it more effective. Having the Mugello test 10 or so days before the Spanish GP will allow the teams to trial some of their big updates for that race, and with the way this season has unfolded up to now this could either bunch up the pack even more or give us a slightly better idea of a front-running order.


BONUS) What do you make of the Young Drivers test potentially being brought forward and being held at Silverstone this year?

A: I think it's a great idea. Even with the clause allowing all teams to go to Abu Dhabi at short notice due to bad weather, and Red Bull and Toro Rosso preferring to go to Abu Dhabi in the first place, I'd like to think that the huge following Formula 1 has in the UK would mean the test would be very well attended by fans. If there was some sort of discount or special offer for those of us going to the British Grand Prix, that would be perfect (are you listening Bernie?)

Silverstone or Abu Dhabi? © Andrew Hone/Getty Images

Sunny Sakhir

Hello everyone! Firstly apologies for not doing any #FanFormula posts for the last couple of weeks, I've had various events back home which meant that I couldn't write my thoughts up. Hopefully, normal service will now resume.

Q1) Friday saw Force India pull out of FP2 due to an incident involving their team personnel on the Wednesday night. What did you make of their decision and the controversy around FOM showing no coverage of the team during qualifying?

A: After what happened to those Force India mechanics I really don't blame some of them for going home. It was interesting to hear deputy team principal Bob Fernley say that the team were pretty much on the verge of a meltdown, had they not skipped FP2 to get back their hotel before sunset, so in that sense I thought it was a sensible decision and one that was for the the greater good of the team. Though it didn't seem to affect their performance all that much, with Paul Di Resta equalling his best-ever finish in Formula 1 by crossing the line in 6th.

The Curious Case of the Invisible Force India's... © Force India/Sutton Images

However, qualifying in particular will be remembered for FOM's apparent snub of the team's performance. It's fair to say that Force India have had a somewhat lukewarm start to this season, so making Q3 was quite an achievement that many weren't expecting. Unfortunately we never got to see any of their hard work, as hardly a shot of them made our TV screens. Social media went rife with conspiracy theories that Bernie Ecclestone had ordered FOM not to cover the team as revenge for them missing FP2, while Bernie's comments on the matter didn't help:

"Nobody cares if someone is 9th or 11th, only the people that are watching a particular team"

By that logic, no-one cared when Michael Schumacher only qualified 18th due to problems; no-one cared when Sebastian Vettel qualified 11th in China; no-one cared when Kimi Raikkonen qualified 18th on his return to the sport in Australia, after so much hype. I often wonder if Bernie makes these controversial comments just to draw more attention to the sport (as the saying goes, any publicity is good publicity). At a time when the whole world has been scrutinising Formula 1, comments such as these show that he's becoming increasingly out-of-touch and as such, it really wouldn't surprise me if he did order FOM to snub the Force India's as revenge.


Q2 [as suggested by @HedgeryHoops]) The stewards reviewed the two incidents between Nico Rosberg and Hamilton/Alonso and have decided not to penalise him. Do you agree with their decision? If not, what would you have done?

A: No I don't agree! I couldn't believe what I was seeing as the incidents, especially the one with Hamilton, reminded me of the Schumacher and Barrichello incident at Hungary 2010:

If it had been another few centimetres Hamilton would have slammed into that barrier, and if that run-off had been grass instead of concrete a crash would have been almost certain to happen. At least Schumi had the good grace to apologise to Rubens after their scrap, unlike Nico, who defended his actions and said that it was good racing. He's entitled to his opinion but in my view pushing another racer off the track, especially so close to barriers and walls, is completely unacceptable and downright dangerous, and he should have been given a drive-through penalty for both incidents.


Q3) Bahrain was our first dry race of the season, which saw the first win for Red Bull and a double podium for Lotus. Do you think that this indicates that even without weather intervening, that the grid is a lot closer this year and that we will continue to see a variety of drivers and constructors on the podium for the rest of the season?

A: The grid has definitely been much closer this year and that's been evident in qualifying, with the top 10 in Bahrain (barring Alonso and Di Resta, who didn't set times in order to save tyres) being covered by just under a second. Red Bull not being the dominant force they were last year, Ferrari struggling, McLaren's pitstop problems, Mercedes' tyre wear and Lotus' pace have really opened up this year's championship and have given us some great racing up to now, which makes a nice change from the domination of last year. Having said that, with Spain being the traditional time of the teams bringing big updates, I think the top 4 teams (McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull and Lotus) will pull away slightly from then on, but the way the results have gone up to now it would be silly to make any concrete guess as to how the rest of the season may unfold.


BONUS) Who was your driver of the day and why?

A: This is a really hard one to answer. There were quite a few great drives to choose from - Vettel did what he does best and left the rest for dust after starting from the front; Webber scored his fourth 4th place in a row in a great show of consistency; Raikkonen performed some great overtaking, as well as using the set of soft tyres he saved in qualifying to challenge Vettel for the win; and Di Resta managed to make a 2-stop strategy work despite a late charge from Alonso.

But my driver of the day is everyone's favourite croissant/giraffe/Sid the Sloth, Romain Grosjean. He finally proved that he has the raw pace to score podiums, maybe even wins, and gave Raikkonen a good run for a while before having to yield to save his tyres. It was a very mature drive and I have a feeling we'll be seeing much more of him on the podium, as long as he can keep out of trouble!

Smile! © AFP

10%

10% into the season already. I can tell this year is going to absolutely fly by...

Q1) In the past two races we have seen four different constructors on the podium. With the recent break do you think that any teams in particular will have made a large improvement or will this only occur by the European leg of the calendar?

A: I said in my last post that I don't think we'll see any major improvements until everyone brings updates to the Spanish GP, but then I remembered that Ferrari are giving Felipe Massa a brand new chassis for the Chinese GP. So we could well see a big improvement from them if Massa responds well to the new car, which I hope he does as it's been quite sad seeing him flounder in the lower-midfield up to now.

In the meantime, I think we'll see some improvement from Lotus. The only reason they don't have more points is because of sheer bad luck, with Kimi Raikkonen's gearbox problem in Malaysia and Romain Grosjean's bumper-cars in both races costing them chances of podiums. Whether they can keep up in the development race come mid-season is another matter, and one which they didn't seem to cope well with last year...

© Ferrari Media

Q2) This weekend has seen the 'kick off' for some of the lower series, including BTCC, Clio Cup and (during the Malaysian race weekend) IndyCar. Have you watched any of these series, and if so why and how?

A: I've watched all the above, bar the Clio Cup, as I just happened to be busy when they were on the TV! This year I'm trying to make more of an effort to get into other forms of motorsport that are on TV - as fun as single-seaters are, there's many more series out there that give the same, though usually rather different, thrills when you watch. BTCC in particular was brilliant and it was great to see it back in it's carnage-ridden, controversy-fuelled glory, while I've only really been watching IndyCar because of Rubens Barrichello's recent move there. The race from Barber was a great watch though, so much overtaking! I'll be keeping an eye on the Indy Lights series too, as local lad Oli Webb makes his American debut this year.

Q3) With the Crazy Chinese Grand Prix fast approaching, it will be the first Grand Prix that the BBC will have live and be in direct competition with Sky. Who do you think will be the channel that the majority choose and which will you be watching live?

A: The BBC will win hands down - free-to-air will always win over pay-per-view, no matter how different the channel's approaches to presentation, analysis etc. are as it's just easier for the majority to access. Personally I'll be watching the race on the BBC, as I miss the more laid-back camaraderie between Jake, David and Eddie and I'm warming towards Ben Edwards' commentary with every race.

BONUS) Vettel referred to Karthikeyan as a 'cucumber' after the Malaysian GP but if you could represent a driver of your choice as food, which food would it be and why?

A: I wasn't observant enough to notice this myself, but a few weeks ago @theFakeVettel was comparing Romain Grosjean to a croissant. Not only are they both French (well, one's from Geneva but I think we'll let him off) and quite warm and lovely, I think the likeness between them is rather uncanny...